Make it a "magic forest" where you can go forward forever but never get there, while going one square back (or as many as you went forward) take you back.
Any why not just instantly kill the player upon entering ;)? Perhaps slowing the player down progressively while applying various temporary negative status ailments before that.
the woods are dark.
I guess I just don't understand the point of making such a place. Will it eventually be accessible? Is there anything at all worthwhile inside? Is it an obstacle to be overcome, or is it just a feature of the world?
I think that an area where you'll NEVER be able to go would be rather novel in terms of video games.
There's always a point in your character's development where you become The Most Powerful Being in the Universe(tm). Diablo II is an excellent example of this: What sort of person are you that you can stroll through Hell, slaying the hordes of demons that dwell there? Ancient beasts that have dwelt in the abyss since the dawn of time fall like grass before you, and monsters so mighty that the angels themselves cannot best them are transfixed upon your blade. Holy crap, that's insane.
I would like to see a dark forest where you cannot go, and if you do, you're freaking boned, no matter what. Making it so dark you cannot see would be nice, but you could bring light with you, perhaps. Add a howling wind that extinguishes torches, a dark miasma that neutralizes magical light sources, and some kind of crazy labyrinthine terrain that would stymie adventurers that manage to build SureFires. Then fill it with monsters that weapons cannot touch, traps that magic cannot detect, and enchantments that cannot be countered. Heck, build in a jealous deity, so that the lucky few who manage by some miracle to survive for more than a minute or so in there get a solid smiting.
I think that a world in which every feature and location can be categorized as "experience farm" or "marketplace" has a sense of artificiality. This dark forest idea could be a big step toward more impressive worlds in video games.
I think that an area where you'll NEVER be able to go would be rather novel in terms of video games.
There's always a point in your character's development where you become The Most Powerful Being in the Universe(tm). Diablo II is an excellent example of this: What sort of person are you that you can stroll through Hell, slaying the hordes of demons that dwell there? Ancient beasts that have dwelt in the abyss since the dawn of time fall like grass before you, and monsters so mighty that the angels themselves cannot best them are transfixed upon your blade. Holy crap, that's insane.
I would like to see a dark forest where you cannot go, and if you do, you're freaking boned, no matter what. Making it so dark you cannot see would be nice, but you could bring light with you, perhaps. Add a howling wind that extinguishes torches, a dark miasma that neutralizes magical light sources, and some kind of crazy labyrinthine terrain that would stymie adventurers that manage to build SureFires. Then fill it with monsters that weapons cannot touch, traps that magic cannot detect, and enchantments that cannot be countered. Heck, build in a jealous deity, so that the lucky few who manage by some miracle to survive for more than a minute or so in there get a solid smiting.
I think that a world in which every feature and location can be categorized as "experience farm" or "marketplace" has a sense of artificiality. This dark forest idea could be a big step toward more impressive worlds in video games.
The only result would be that the player would never see most of the area, which equals a lot of wasted time in making the area. Also, there isn't any point - not fun, no goal, no chance.
Interesting question. Too many games arbritrarily block you from going somewhere. What they need to do is actually give you a real reason to choose not to go somewhere. E.g., the prospect of entering those woods is a bad one. Instead, I'm going to go somewhere else. I could go into the woods if I wanted to, but I'd probably die.
That's alot more plausible than: "YOU NEED TO LEVEL UP NOOB!"
Too much arbritrary limitation in games. It displays a lack of complex thinking in game design.
That's alot more plausible than: "YOU NEED TO LEVEL UP NOOB!"
Too much arbritrary limitation in games. It displays a lack of complex thinking in game design.
I like this idea, but i don't think the player should be "boned no matter what", more like being traped in an enclosed space with a CyberDemon, near totally boned, but you still have a chance (with some godly intervention or supreme skill/tactical thinking) of actually making it around. I remember when playing KOTOR on Kashiik (or whatever the wookie homeworlds called) that the wookies were afraid of this one crazy old man who lived on the forest floor where only bands of wookie hunting parties would dare to go for short times. ;D
Messed up labryinth/shifting terrain, monsters that are immune to specific types of weapons, damaging status effects, go for it. Cuz when the players seen everything in the game and become uber, he's going to be looking with longing into that forest for a challenge.
Messed up labryinth/shifting terrain, monsters that are immune to specific types of weapons, damaging status effects, go for it. Cuz when the players seen everything in the game and become uber, he's going to be looking with longing into that forest for a challenge.
Quote:Original post by NytehauqToo much arbritrary limitation in games. It displays a lack of complex thinking in game design.
*cough* arbritrary limitations are what fuels game mechanics, and thus the game design itself. Here in the real world there is no logical reason for players to dribble the basketball when chargeing down the court. But its a game rule all the same, ment to slow the players charge enough that opposing teams can mount a defense, in effect its only there to help balance the gameplay of basketball
If the location in question were included in a game, and no matter how god like the player becomes he/she can never venture into the woods without quickly dieing...well the net effect is exactly the same as placeing a barrior there. Its then just a dressed up inpassable wall that wastes development time and energy, just an illusion of complexity nothing more.
Now if at some point the player will have gathered enough skill to venture through the woods. Then its little more then the equivalent to a locked door, only the "key" is procured differently...again just another illusion of complexity. Of course the major difference is in how the player learns when/ and how this "door" becomes unlocked (guards telling the player to stay away, frequent experimental charges into the woods to see how far one can get, etc) basicly boils down to communicateing game state information, nothing to do with the game mechanics and/or complexity of game design.
Perhaps making the woods "Not exist".
You walk in one end, and your already out the other, without walking through the entire wood.
From,
Nice coder
You walk in one end, and your already out the other, without walking through the entire wood.
From,
Nice coder
A few suggestions:
- Upon entering the dark woods, evil is unleashed into the world. Spirits and monsters terrorize small villages and roam the countryside. The player would be intimidated then because not only would there be invincible enemies inside these woods, but they'd venture out to the overworld as well if you decided to go in; basically creating more of a worldly threat that the player would not want to have to deal with.
- Disregarding the advice of NPCs who warn you not to enter can influence a reputation with them. Vendors who are afraid and superstitious of the area might raise their prices or even refuse sale to such a defiant and foolish adventurer. Inns might become afraid to allow you to stay in their establishment because they believe you have become tainted with the area's evil.
- Unpleasant experience within could sour the player to the area. Using tricks of gameplay to make things very difficult has been used in several games I can think of: Metal Gear with the psychic boss, turning off the display and making you switch controller slots; Donkey Kong with the 'poisonous' level that confused the monkeys by flipping their controls (down is up, left is right). This kind of effect could eventually be dispelled so that venturing in became a simple matter when you wanted the player to finally be able to.
- The evil within the forest is so great that it diminishes your health every moment you are in there. Venture too long or too deep and you'll die, which of course has its own negative consequences (loss of exp, durability, money, etc.)
- There is no phat lewt ;)
- Upon entering the dark woods, evil is unleashed into the world. Spirits and monsters terrorize small villages and roam the countryside. The player would be intimidated then because not only would there be invincible enemies inside these woods, but they'd venture out to the overworld as well if you decided to go in; basically creating more of a worldly threat that the player would not want to have to deal with.
- Disregarding the advice of NPCs who warn you not to enter can influence a reputation with them. Vendors who are afraid and superstitious of the area might raise their prices or even refuse sale to such a defiant and foolish adventurer. Inns might become afraid to allow you to stay in their establishment because they believe you have become tainted with the area's evil.
- Unpleasant experience within could sour the player to the area. Using tricks of gameplay to make things very difficult has been used in several games I can think of: Metal Gear with the psychic boss, turning off the display and making you switch controller slots; Donkey Kong with the 'poisonous' level that confused the monkeys by flipping their controls (down is up, left is right). This kind of effect could eventually be dispelled so that venturing in became a simple matter when you wanted the player to finally be able to.
- The evil within the forest is so great that it diminishes your health every moment you are in there. Venture too long or too deep and you'll die, which of course has its own negative consequences (loss of exp, durability, money, etc.)
- There is no phat lewt ;)
Put something scary in there. Seriously. Something big and nasty and unrelenting that will hunt the player down and do what big scary things do. No need to fill it with nasty things and instant death, or make it any different from other forsts. A single protector that senses the moment a trespasser sets foot in its domain, and does not stop until that trespasser is dealt with. If eventually you want the player to have access to the forest, you can give it the crucial item or piece of information needed to get past it, or have the creature's removal by high-powered NPC's as a plot point.
Make it common knowledge that such a creature prowls the woods, and that none who enter ever leave. And if they disregard these warnings, which they will, scare the crap out of them. Start with corpses, horribly mangled, but still recognizable. Then come the sounds, of something big, and coming fast. Give the players a chance to rethink their life choices and make a dash for the edge of the forest. And then, if they still choose to remain, kill them quickly and decisively, so that there's little doubt that further attempts will yield the same result.
Yes, some players will see that as a challenge and will spend countless hours trying to find a way to kill the creature. Too bad for them - as long as you've made it clear that it cannot be done, it's not your fault if they ignore you.
Make it common knowledge that such a creature prowls the woods, and that none who enter ever leave. And if they disregard these warnings, which they will, scare the crap out of them. Start with corpses, horribly mangled, but still recognizable. Then come the sounds, of something big, and coming fast. Give the players a chance to rethink their life choices and make a dash for the edge of the forest. And then, if they still choose to remain, kill them quickly and decisively, so that there's little doubt that further attempts will yield the same result.
Yes, some players will see that as a challenge and will spend countless hours trying to find a way to kill the creature. Too bad for them - as long as you've made it clear that it cannot be done, it's not your fault if they ignore you.
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